To do justly—­There is no true religion where justice is not received as a foundation principle.  “I the Lord love judgment; I hate robbery for burnt offerings; and I will direct their work in truth.” * Fraudulent people may pretend to religion; may make many and long prayer, but their religion is of no avail; their sacrifices are an abomination. + Witness the scribes and pharisees, who received the greater damnation.

* Isaiah l xi. 8. + Isaiah i. 10. &c.

The next characteristic trait here given of the good man, is the love of mercy. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy?

There is something particularly to be observed in the language here used—­love mercy.—­It may not be in every one’s power to shew mercy; but every man may, and every good man does love mercy.  To “feed the hungry and clothe the naked,” are acts of mercy, but not in the power of all men.  Some are, themselves wholly dependent on the mercy of others for their own support.

Justice often restrains and sets bounds to the exercise of mercy.  The judge may be grieved for the malefactor, and wish that he could shew mercy to him, but find himself obliged to condemn him and suffer justice to take its course.  The debts which a person hath contracted may require all his goods, or all his necessities do not require.  In such cases he is under obligation to shut the hand of charity, even against the proper objects of it.  We have no right to defraud some, that we may shew mercy to others.  Justice is a prior duty.  We are tied up to the discharge of it—­are bound to do justly; whereas it is only required that we love mercy.  The love of mercy will dispose us to shew mercy, where we have ability to do it without violating justice.  Yea, it will cause us to do it with pleasure, rendering us like God, who “delights in mercy.”

Acts of mercy may proceed from other principles beside the love of mercy, but these do not answer to the divine requirement.  In the view of him who sees the heart they are not characteristic of renovation, or a heart right with God.

The third particular here mentioned as constituting the finishing part of the good man’s character, is humility—­that he walks humbly with, his God—­that he is sensible of his imperfection, and of his need of mercy from God.  This always makes a part of the good man’s character.

The good man, while he is just to all, and while kind and benevolent, and disposed to do good to all, as he hath opportunity and ability, retains a sense of his defects, of his remaining depravity—­that he but too often deviates from his own principles—­that in every thing he comes short of his duty.  Therefore doth he confess himself “an unprofitable servant”—­that he lays God under no obligation—­yea, that he lives on mercy—­that all the good things which he receives, are unmerited, the gifts of divine grace—­that was mercy denied him, and “the reward of his hands given to him, it would be ill with him” —­he should be undone forever.